TechnologyMay 01, 2026
Gemist, Saban Onyx Partner on Retailer-Focused Customization OfferingTheir partnership combines Gemist’s customization technology with Saban Onyx’s U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities.
OtherMar 29, 2015
When choice is not a good thing
The size of the menu at The Cheesecake Factory makes Peter Smith’s head hurt. Don’t let your store be the Cheesecake Factory of jewelry stores.
Peter Smith, author of “Hiring Squirrels: 12 Essential Interview Questions to Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent,” has spent 30 years building retail sales teams and has worked in wholesale as well. He can be reached at Dublinsmith@yahoo.com
Have you ever visited a Cheesecake Factory restaurant? If you have not, let me set the table for you. The food is, on the whole, pretty decent, the ambiance, for a larger restaurant, is warm and inviting and the prices are not terribly high.
Here’s the bad news: The Cheesecake Factory does not so much provide a menu as they give you a tome to navigate. The mega-menu is filled with so many options to the point that you can become paralyzed for fear of making the wrong decision.
As I turn each page of the huge menu my world becomes a blur until I eventually--since I was either persuaded by someone to make a reservation in the first place or had to wait for an hour to be seated-- settle on some dish or other, not entirely convinced that I’ve selected the right meal.
Second-guessing becomes the order of the day as I question whether I should have chosen something else. If I had more time with the menu perhaps I might have been more confident in my choice? Maybe I should have involved my wife to have been more certain, or surely the waiter could have offered a greater endorsement for one dish or another?
The Cheesecake Factory makes my head hurt. They make it too difficult for me to select a meal and to feel good about my choice. This phenomena is called the paradox of choice. We need choices, we need to feel that we are in control of our destiny, even for a seemingly simple decision like selecting a meal in a restaurant. When we are given too many options, however, the decision can become almost impossible to make. We occasionally manage to struggle through but such experiences are rarely pleasant and frequently unfulfilling.
Unlike a restaurant, where we are compelled to select something, a similar scenario in a jewelry store very often produces different results. Presenting too much information, and too many product options, can overwhelm the client to the point that inaction becomes not just the preferred option but, in many cases, the only viable option.
When faced with a Cheesecake Factory-like portfolio of choices, far too many customers leave the store without making any purchase at all.
Their desire to escape the barrage of stuff (both information and product) becomes far more appealing than their need to make
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
a buying decision. They have become so overwhelmed with options that they experience purchase-paralysis, and removing themselves from that stress by leaving the store becomes the best course of action.
There are, of course, no absolute number of options that a customer should have in a jewelry store, but I believe that three is about the right number.
Most of us are familiar with the general principle of “good, better, best” and, while we tend to think of that approach in a broader scale (my diamond story, my watch story, etc.), it also serves as a good approach in a more micro sense, once the engagement with customer has advanced to the stage that product should be introduced.
As Barry Schwartz wrote in The Paradox of Choice, “Having the opportunity to choose is essential for well-being, but choice has negative features, and the negative features escalate as the number of choices increases.”
Peter Smith, author of Hiring Squirrels: 12 Essential Interview Questions to Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent, has spent 30 years building sales teams at retail and working with independent retailers to offer counsel and advice on matters of sales, marketing, personnel, training and compensation. A graduate of Boston College, he has served on the Advisory Board of Caliper’s Global Conference. Smith has worked in retail and on the wholesale end of the business with companies such as Tiffany & Co. and Hearts On Fire. Hiring Squirrels is available in print and Kindle on Amazon.com. Smith can be reached at Dublinsmith@yahoo.com and on LinkedIn.
More on Other
The Latest
SurveysMay 01, 2026
Consumer Confidence Inches Up in April Despite Rising Gas PricesRespondents were concerned about the Middle East conflict and how it will impact their finances.
CollectionsMay 01, 2026
A ‘Hidden Garden’ Emerges in Tiffany & Co.’s 2026 Blue BookOur Piece of the Week, the “Butterfly” necklace, showcases a 7.02-carat oval diamond set between diamond, platinum, and 18-karat gold wings.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
ColumnistsApr 30, 2026
Peter Smith: A Sleazy Salesman and the Case for Regret Avoidance Smith uses a comment he overheard in the grocery store to remind retailers that their job is to inspire buying behavior, not just sell.
Weekly QuizApr 30, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsApr 30, 2026
Claire’s New Summer Campaign Is a Sensory Wonderland for Gen Alpha“A Girl SMR at Claire’s” celebrates girlhood through the five senses with stacked jewelry, slime toys, scented accessories, and ASMR.
AuctionsApr 30, 2026
Vintage Cartier Watch Crashes Through Records, Selling for $2MBelieved to be one of three made in 1987, the Cartier London Crash was hot at the “Shapes of Cartier” sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
CrimeApr 30, 2026
Masked Group Uses Hammers, Pepper Spray in Texas Jewelry Store RobberyOfficials are looking for a group that robbed Marc Robinson Jewelers at an outlet mall in Round Rock, Texas, in broad daylight on April 21.
Supplier BulletinApr 30, 2026
OROAREZZO 2026: The B2B Event for Italian Excellence in Goldsmith, Jewelry and Silver ManufacturingSponsored by OROAREZZO International Jewelry Exhibition
TechnologyApr 29, 2026
The Thought Process Behind the Mother's Day Email Opt-OutSome retailers are taking a nuanced approach to marketing what can be a difficult holiday for many.
IndependentsApr 29, 2026
Dick Abbott to Retire From The EdgeThe Edge has announced its new CEO, as well as a new partnership with an investment firm focused on founder-led software businesses.
SourcingApr 29, 2026
De Beers’ Production Rises, Market Remains ‘Challenged’De Beers’ diamond production was up 17 percent in Q1, boosted by increased output at its mines in South Africa and Canada.
AuctionsApr 29, 2026
This'll Be the Day You Own John Wayne's RingA signet ring belonging to the Western film star of Hollywood’s Golden Age will be up for auction at Elmwood’s next month.
Policies & IssuesApr 28, 2026
Tariff Refunds: How to File, What to Expect Importers can submit claims now to receive money back for the IEEPA tariffs they’ve paid, with refunds expected to take up to 90 days.
IndependentsApr 28, 2026
This North Carolina Jeweler Is Passing the TorchThe owners of Gregory Jewelers in Morganton, North Carolina, are heading into retirement.
SourcingApr 28, 2026
Doug Hucker Retires From ICAThe colored gemstone industry leader is heading into retirement after four years as the association’s CEO.
SourcingApr 28, 2026
NDC Hires Tapestry Exec to Head Global Marketing Susie Dewey joins the Natural Diamond Council as its new chief marketing officer.
AuctionsApr 27, 2026
12 Years Later, the ‘Ocean Dream’ Diamond Resurfaces at Christie’sThe largest known fancy vivid blue-green diamond could fetch more than $12 million at its second auction appearance.
ColumnistsApr 27, 2026
Stop Treating Mother’s Day Like an AfterthoughtEmmanuel Raheb says jewelers need to start marketing early and make it easy for customers to pick a gift for mom.
IndependentsApr 27, 2026
Longnecker Jewelry Celebrates 30 YearsIn honor of the milestone, the Nebraska jeweler has debuted Leslie & Co., its new in-house jewelry brand.
MajorsApr 27, 2026
JBT Re-Elects Jeff Corey as Board ChairThe trade organization, which held its annual elections earlier this year, also added five new board members.
SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
